Wet film holder



April 1935- R. P. LEAVITT 1,997,336

WET FILM HOLDER Filed Aug. 11, 1934 l I j l 14 13 15 I 14 IL 7 I J I 7 3wuenloc fiyerf leafifl,

April 9, 1935. R. P. LEAVITT WET FILM HOLDER Filed Aug. 11, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AZITIIF Y I gwuentoo ffoyerplean'lf Patented Apr. 9, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WET FILM HOLDER Application August 11,

8 Claims.

One object of the present invention is to pro- 5 vide a suitable frame equipped with a clamping device for holding wet negatives and the like in a substantially taut and flatv condition particularly during the fiuid treating and printing proc ess. Another object is to provide a film holder which is efficient and simple to operate so that it can be loaded in a hurry, and if necessary in total darkness. Still another object is to have a film holder in which the wet negative can be clamped, without defacing said film, so that it will not fall out of the frame or be disturbed until the clamping device is loosened; and another object is to provide an all metal film holder which confines both faces of a film along three margins of said film, and supports one face of the film on the remaining margin. Other objects will appear hereinafter from the following specification, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end thereof.

Briefly, the invention embodies a frame, three sides of which are channeled to receive and confine the edge portions of the film, and provided with a clamping means on the two side bars for holding the film in position within the frame.

Fig. l is a rear elevation of a frame constructed in accordance with and embodying a preferred form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the frame;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the frame, taken substantially on the plane of line 22 of Fig. 1, showing the clamping device in released position;

Fig. 4 is similar to Fig. 3 showing the clamping device gripping a piece of film;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a frame of the same type as shown, but showing a larger and modified form of said frame.

Like characters and references refer to corresponding parts in the several views.

In Fig. 2, 5, 6 and 7 designate the side bars and bottom of the frame respectively, these bars being of channeled shape, as shown in Fig. 3, for receiving and confining three margins of the film. It is possible to have the side bars and bottom made of one piece, but for ease in manufacture the side bars and bottom are essentially separate pieces fitted at the corners as shown and spot welded to form a permanent joint. These side bars 5 and B are connected together at the top by a cross bar 9 which is rigidly fastened to the inside of the rear walls of the channeled side 1934, Serial No. 739,456

bars 5 and 6. This cross bar 9 is offset rearwardly, as shown by H] and H, bringing the offset portion in line with the corresponding rear channel walls of the side bars 5 and 6 so that the film will not be bent at the top margin when inserted in the frame. This cross bar 9 acts as a support for the two side bars 5 and ii, as a backing for the upper edge of the film, and also as a handle for lifting the frame without coming in contact with the film.

The channeled side bars are open at their upper ends to receive the film, and the front walls of the channeled side bars 5 and B are cut away to a depth less than that of the cross bar 9, as shown at 12, so that the lower edge of the film can be abutted against the cross bar 9, on the rear wall of the channeled side bars 5 and 6, and slid easily into the frame.

The film after being inserted into the frame is firmly held in place by a clamping device !3 carried by at least one of the side bars 5 or 6, said clamping device consisting of spring number 13 slidably mounted on one wall of a side bar 5 or 6, extending into the channel of the side bar, and having cam like protuberances l4 located near the ends thereof cooperating with cutaway portions 15 in the wall of the side bars for permitting the cams 14 to move so as to release the clamping device. I prefer to provide clamping members l3 on each side channel 5 and 6 as shown, although only one clamping device may hold the film for some purposes. The locking position of the clamping device, as shown in Fig. 4, is obtained by sliding the spring member l3 longitudinally by means of a suitable pin IE and slot 8 connection, located in an offset portion ll of the wall of the side bar to give an additional tension to the spring member, the cam like protuberances I4 on the spring member being brought into contact and confined by the wall of the side bars 5 and 6 thereby forcing the spring member toward the opposite wall of the channel and holding the film firmly between said channel wall and the spring member 13. In order to insure a-firmer grip on the film within the frame a protuberance I8 is made, in the rear wall of the channeled side bars 5 and 6, and extending into the channel of the side bar, said protuberance increasing the grip on the film at this point.

In frames for accommodating larger films the upper edge of the spring member I3 is farther removed from the open end of the frame than in the described case and for this reason there is a possibility of the film doubling across the channel and entering the wrong side of the spring member 53 to become jammed and injured. To overcome this difficulty arising only in the larger frames, a suitable protuberance I9 is made in the front wall of the channel side bars 5 and 6 just above the upper edge of the spring member I3, as shown in Fig. 5, said protuberance serving to direct the inserted film to the right side of the spring member i3 and prevent the possibility of injuring the film.

This film holder can be made in several different sizes to accommodate the difierent sizes of film used and is made of metal, preferably Monel metal or stainless steel since these metals are substantially inert to any chemical used in treating the film.

This film holder is designed primarily for hold ing single films in a flat and taut condition during the fluid treating and printing processes, and also as a holder for wet films during enlargement when the enlarging is to be done while the film is"- still in the wet condition. The holder is designed so that when a filmis inserted therein it can be handled the same, as if it were a rigid plate, j

Having thus described my invention, what I declare as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: I V 1 l. A wet film holder, comprising channeled side bars and channeled bottom for receiving three edges of a film and open at one end to admit the film flatwise into the channel provided, astrip connecting corresponding rearwalls of said side bars at the open end thereof providing a'support for the side bars and an abutting surface for the rearmost portion of the film inserted in the frame, and a slidably mounted gripping and releasing means mounted on one wall of said side bars for engaging the borders of the film'inserted in the holder. V V 3 7 2. A metal holder, comprising channeled. side bars and channeled bottom openat one end to j admit a film flatwise, a cross bar connecting the rear walls of. the side bars at the open end, said cross bars offset flush with the corresponding rear walls: of the side bars, upper portions of the front walls of the channeled side bars being cut awayto facilitate insertion of the film, and a gripping means slidably mounted on a side bar for engaging an edge of the film inserted in the holder. 7

3. A metal film holder, comprising side bars and a bottom channeled to confine the opposite border faces of a film inserted in the holder, a cross bar connecting the rear walls of the side bars at the open end of the-holder, and a gripping means for holding the film in the holder consisting of a spring slidably mounted on one wall of the channeled side bars and capable of alternate engagement and disengagement ofa wall of each side bar and the spring member, and cooperating means between the spring member and the respective wall of the side bar for moving said spring member, on longitudinal movement thereof, toward the opposite wall of the side bars to grip the margins of a film strip therebetween. 5. In a metal film holder, the combinations with a frame having channeled side bars, a channeled bottom, and an upper cross bar, of a spring member slidably mounted between the walls of each side bar, a slidable connection between one wall of each side bar and the spring member, the re- ."spective wall having cut away portions, the oppo- 6. In a metal film holder, the combination with a frame having channeled side bars, a channeled bottom, and an upper cross bar supporting the side bars and fastened to the rear walls thereof, of a spring member slidably .mounted between the walls of each side bar, 'a pin and slot connection between one wall of each side bar and the spring memberand cooperating means. be

tween the spring member and the respective wall of the side bar. for moving the said. spring member toward the opposite wall of the side bar to grip the margin'of a film strip therebetween.

7. In a metal film holder, the combination with a frame having channeled side bars, a channeled bottom, and an upper cross bar supporting the side bars and fastened to the rear Walls thereof,

a protuberance on the rear wall of each side bar nearthe bottom bar and extending into the channel of the sidebars, of aspring member slidably mounted between the walls of each side bar, a slidable connection between one wall of each side bar and each spring member, and cooperating portions on the spring member and the respective side wall whereby upon longitudinal movement said spring member is moved toward said protuberance in the opposite wall of the side bar to grip the margin of the film strip therebetween.

8. In a metal film holder, the combination with a frame having channeled side bars, a channeled bottom, and an upper cross bar supporting the side bars and fastened to the rear walls thereof, of a spring member slidably mounted between the walls of each side bar, a slidable connection between one wall of each side bar and the spring member, and cooperating means between. the

spring member, and the respective wall of the side bar for moving said member, in longitudinal movement thereof, toward the opposite wall of the side bar to grip the margin of a film strip therebetween, and a protuberance in the wall of the side bar between the top edge of the spring member and the open end of the side bar said protuberance, extending into the channel of the side bar for guiding the inserted film to the correct side of the spring member.

ROGER. P. LEAVITT. 

